Deland Pushes Police Substation

The City Is Moving Quickly To Buy Land For The Station To Reduce Crime In Spring Hill. The Price Would Be About $59,000.

November 18, 1998|By Maria M. Perotin of The Sentinel Staff

DELAND - For about $59,000, city leaders hope a new substation will increase the visibility of police and will reduce crime in Spring Hill - starting as early as March.

DeLand commissioners agreed Monday night to move quickly on plans to annex property at 910 S. Adelle Ave. into the city and buy the land for a police substation.

A leased modular building on the site would house offices, two interview rooms, a common area and a kitchenette, but no holding cells.

The city's proposal calls for spending $15,000 to buy the property this month and beginning construction in January. The modular building, which is expected to cost about $17,400 a year to lease, would be occupied by March 1.

Officials anticipate a total budget of $58,710 for the project, including $30,000 from a Community Development Block Grant and $18,000 in federal Weed and Seed grant money.

The city hopes the substation could be removed in two or three years after the increased police visibility helps cut down on crime in the area.

In other business Monday night, the commission approved spending an additional $16,000 for parking-lot lighting, minor electrical changes and sound-system improvements at Melching Field at Conrad Park.

The stadium on U.S. Highway 17-92 is scheduled to open in February. It is being paid for through a team effort by the city of DeLand, Stetson University and the DeLand Sports Redevelopment Association, a civic group.

City Manager Wayne Sanborn said the upgraded sound system is important because, without it, fans would find it difficult to keep track of announcements and baseball teams' lineup changes.

What is now estimated as a $4.39 million renovation originally was expected to cost $3.3million. The work kept getting more expensive as commissioners tacked on a brick facade and other extras.